Scan barcode
A review by claaaiiirrreee
The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo
5.0
WOWWWWWWW.
The Great Gatsby is honestly one of my favorite books of all time. Jordan Baker is my favorite character in The Great Gatsby. So let's just say that I JUMPED at the chance to read a retelling from the perspective of an LGBTQ, Asian, magical Jordan Baker.
Fitzgerald's Gatsby is gorgeously written, and I think Vo matches (and often outpaces) him at every turn. The writing is lyrical and decadent, and it draws you into not only Fitzgerald's world of 1920s high society, but Vo and Jordan's world of magic, demons, and hell on earth. Vo seamlessly and beautifully creates a world within a world that fits precisely in the folds and gaps in the original story.
Over the course of The Chosen and The Beautiful, Jordan opens up to and embraces her Vietnamese heritage, and alongside it, she embraces her ability to perform cut paper magic. In many ways, I wanted more of Jordan's magic, but I adored that the use of it reflected Jordan's own arc and development over the course of the novel.
Initially, Jordan only performs her magic for Daisy – to entertain her, to rescue her – but by the end of the story, Jordan embraces her identity and does her magic for herself, for her own benefit. The novel ends as Jordan is about to embark on this journey, and while a bit frustrating that we don't get to see it for ourselves, it's satisfying to picture her breaking free from the constraints of her world (and of Daisy) and fully embracing her own destiny and potential.
To be honest, I would have been thrilled with a straightforward retelling of Gatsby simply from Jordan's perspective. The Chosen and the Beautiful is so much more.
The Great Gatsby is honestly one of my favorite books of all time. Jordan Baker is my favorite character in The Great Gatsby. So let's just say that I JUMPED at the chance to read a retelling from the perspective of an LGBTQ, Asian, magical Jordan Baker.
Fitzgerald's Gatsby is gorgeously written, and I think Vo matches (and often outpaces) him at every turn. The writing is lyrical and decadent, and it draws you into not only Fitzgerald's world of 1920s high society, but Vo and Jordan's world of magic, demons, and hell on earth. Vo seamlessly and beautifully creates a world within a world that fits precisely in the folds and gaps in the original story.
Over the course of The Chosen and The Beautiful, Jordan opens up to and embraces her Vietnamese heritage, and alongside it, she embraces her ability to perform cut paper magic. In many ways, I wanted more of Jordan's magic, but I adored that the use of it reflected Jordan's own arc and development over the course of the novel.
Initially, Jordan only performs her magic for Daisy – to entertain her, to rescue her – but by the end of the story, Jordan embraces her identity and does her magic for herself, for her own benefit. The novel ends as Jordan is about to embark on this journey, and while a bit frustrating that we don't get to see it for ourselves, it's satisfying to picture her breaking free from the constraints of her world (and of Daisy) and fully embracing her own destiny and potential.
To be honest, I would have been thrilled with a straightforward retelling of Gatsby simply from Jordan's perspective. The Chosen and the Beautiful is so much more.